Step-ladder.



` W. T. PYLE.

STEP LADDER.

APPLICATION man JAN. 21a, 1915-.

1,191,922. l Patented .my 18,v 1916.

"Nrr sauras PATENT lorries.v

WILLIAM T. PYLE, OF PEKIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '.lO SAFETY FOLDING LADDER COMPANY, OF PEKIN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

STEP-LADDER.

Specication of Letters' Patent. Patented July 18, 1916.

Application med January 2a, 1915. yserial No. 3,994.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1,'W1LLIAM T. PYLE, citizen of the United States, residing at Pekin, in the county of Tazewell and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Step-Ladders; and I do hereby declarev that the .following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in step ladders. It pertains more particulai-ly to a ladder in which safety is one of the essentials.

One of the'objects is to improve upon the folding construction of ladder illustrated in my Letters Patent issued Nov. 2, 1915, No. 1,158,716, by substituting a wide step for the narrow substantially square form of step or rung of said application so as to give the user a wide rest for' the foot without the necessity of holding orgrasping a support for maintaining equilibrium on the ladder.

Another Objectis 4to so construct the ladder that it will be perfectly rigid in use, the steps thereof being so formed that they will not interfere with the vfree operation of the ladder nor the easy collapse of the same.

Another object is the provision in a step ladder of means whereby the distance be-l tween its rear supporting prop legs may be adjusted so as to give more or lessspread or in order toi provide a wider base and a more perfect support on uneven surfaces.y

upper-portion of the same; Fig.` 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the ladder illustrating the manner of its'folding; Fig. 4; is a horizontal section of the front supporting legs showing 'the peculiar construction of one ofthe steps; and, Fig. 5 isaffront elevation of ythe ladder showing the4 lateral spreading of the rear supporting legs and means for holding them in any desired adjustment. f

I A A represent two pairs of parallel members, each pair lconstituting a side rail of the step section of the ladder, the members of each pairbeing spaced'at the bottom by vmeans of spacing blocks B, for example, the

`the spacing members above the blocks for the pairs yof members A throughout their upper portions and are secured in place at their ends between the two pairs of members by -bolts D which yextend through them and the members at right angles to the length of the latter as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The bolts form the pivots for the several steps andthevstructure thus created canv be collapsed by moving the pairs of members A longitudinally in opposite directions and toward each other as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 3.

It has been found in practice, that when the ladder is collapsed the steps, if of the same width throughout, will bind at their edges between the'pairs of the members A by frictionally engaging the inner surfaces thereof. 'tfhas also been found that the preferred way of preventing this binding is to remove aportion of the material from eachedge ofthe step as indicated at C', particularly in Fig. 4, sothat theonly parts of the steps thathave a width equal to the distance between the members are their ends where they lie'between said 'members By this means the ladder may be easily folded and unfolded without the edges binding inside of the members A which would result more especiallyl in damp weather when the materials, usually wood, naturally swell. v

E E represent the rear supporting or prop legs of the ladder, each having secured to it at its upper end a hinge F, one portion .Gr of whichreceives the upper bolt D, Fig. 2, which constitutes a pivot about which the hinge and the leg may swing laterally.

The purpose of providing for this pivotal swinging motion is that it is often desired to spread the legs of the ladder in order to provide a larger supporting base by increasing the area lying inside the several legs to provide a better support especially on uneven ground. The broken lines in Fig. 5 indicate several of the adjustments that may be made.

H H represent two rods preferably of metal whose upper ends, for examp-le, are pivoted to the prop legs E, their lower ends being each provided with a notch J extending at right angles to its length.

K represents a series of pins or studs on each prop leg E with any one of which the rods H are adapted to engage by means of their said notches. In the continuous lines in Fig. 5 it is observed that the rods engage the middle pins or studs, while in the outermost dotted lines the rods engage the uppermost pins or studs. Again, the innermost broken lines indicate an inner position of the prop legs in which they may lie substantially parallel to the side rails made up of the members A. In this position the rods H engage the lowermost studs. By this or any other equivalent means, the prop legs E may be positioned any distance apart to provide as wide a support as desired, it being understood that the customary jointed tie braces L attached to the members A and rear prop will have sufficient spring or sufficient looseness to permit any desired spread of the said legs.

When the rods H are in engagement with the studs K, and the ladder is set up as shown in Fig. 1 it is perfectly rigid and although the several legs may rest on very uneven ground, the racking motion provided by the pivotal relation of the steps will permit all four legs to be forced firmly upon the ground surface by the weight ofthe person. Inorder that this may readily result the rods H, which are flexible, will spring or bow outward as the weight is imposed upon the steps, the prop legs E being caused to move slightly in a longitudinal direction relatively to one another due to such uneven surface.

An advantagein providing the lateral adjustment of the legs E, also, is that while a wide spread for uneven surfaces can be made the legs can be narrowed in even to the position where they will be parallel to the front members A as in Fig. 5, so that whenever the ladder is used in an aisle or passage the prop legs can be adjusted to the width thereof which is an advantage that will be appreciated.

In a folding ladder of this type where the front members must preferably be parallel in order to lie close together when folded it is an advantage to have a very wide and, in fact, an unusually Wide spread of the prop legs so that the center of gravity will be well inside the spread of the ladder.

As a provision against splitting of the upper ends of the prop legs E and the members A under strain imposed upon the upper bolt D, which is also the pivoting member of the hinge F as already described, I provide transverse bolts or rivets M shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. These belts or rivets prevent any tendency to splitting and provide an exceedingly strong structure in a ladder which is rendered practically indestructible even with the hardest usage or 'when left exposed to the elements.

The manner of pivoting the hinge F for the proplegs E by employing one of the pivot bolts D for the steps provides an exceedingly simple construction. First, the single bolt D .passes through the hinge, both the members A, and the step, making but one part to answer the two purposes besides forming a strong connection for the prop legs with no looseness such as would cause the structure to be rickety and unstable. Again, the ladder is rendered more sturdy by this form of connection than though the hinge were attached to one of the members A which would flex more or less under the weight of the person using it.

The manner of adjusting the prop legs laterally on the bolts D and securing them in the position desired by means of the rods H is novel, the movement thereof relatively in a longitudinal direction being permitted by the flexibility of the said rods H.

Narrowing the steps C between the members A so as to avo-id friction between these parts is. important. The least swelling of the wood caused by dampness renders a ladder of this type exceedingly difficult to set up for use after having been collapsed especially by women who are not strong, this arrangement being new and novel.

The steps t snugly between the members A and have a bearing thereon the full width of the latter so that the structure is a perfectly rigid one whenk set up for use, the narrowed portion of the steps admitting of the free holding or collapsing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim In a step ladder, the combination of a pair of legs each consisting of a pair of spaced members, a series of steps pivoted at their ends between said members, a bolt at each end of and constituting the pivots for one of the steps and extending` through the same and the said members, a prop leg for In testimony whereof I aix my signature, each of the first named legs, a hinge secured in presence of two witnesses.

to each, the said bolt also extending through said hinge, the hinges and their prop legs WILLIAM T' PYLE' adapted to swing laterally upon said bolts, Witnesses:

and cross rods connected at opposite ends to L. M. THURLOW,

opposite prop legs. L. C. HINCKLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

